abbas: a Persian silver coin, one-fiftieth of a toman.
abdar: the supervisor of the drinking arrangements for the shah.
anderun: living quarters in a Persian home.
amanate: a hostage.
arkhaluk: a short kaftan.
Ashur: the tenth day of the month of Moharram, the day of mourning in Shia Islam to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
bahaderan: a grenadier corps composed exclusively of Christian refugees from the Russian empire.
balakhane: a balcony over the only gate to the caravanserai, with rooms for noble visitors; a gallery on top of the house; an upper chamber.
batman: a unit of weight equaling ten Russian pounds (160 kilograms).
bek: a bey, the ruler of a principality in the Ottoman Empire.
bzanid: hit me!
caravanserai: a roadside inn where travelers (known as caravaners) could rest and recover from their journey.
chador: a large piece of cloth that is wrapped around the head and upper body, leaving only the face exposed.
chapar: a messenger who delivers state edicts to the provinces and reports in the opposite direction.
chekmen: a piece of male clothing, something in between a robe and a caftan, with little hooks on the left side and loops on the right; popular with Turkic peoples.
chervonets (pl. chervontsy): a coin of high-grade gold or platinum.
chikhir: unfermented red Georgian wine.
dastkhat: an order, decree.
divan: a collection of poems.
divankhane: a small stone pavilion used as court premises; a reception room.
emin: one who can be trusted; a director, boss, chief.
emir: a commander, general, leader.
exarch: an Orthodox Christian bishop lower in rank than a patriarch and having a jurisdiction wider than the metropolitan of a diocese.
evvel: a senior.
ezgil: medlar fruit.
fatwa: a ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority.
ferrash: a personal guard of a high-ranking official.
firman: the order of a sultan or sheikh.
gazavat: an armed struggle of jihad (holy war).
gazyr: a cartridge belt or bandolier attached to the chest of clothing.
ghulam-pishkhedmet: a junior courtier looking after the personal needs of a shah.
girah: a payment, salary.
hakim-bashi: a doctor.
hokkebaz: a jungler, conjurer.
iuz-bashi: a military leader in charge of military detachments in Persia and Turkey.
kabole: a marriage agreement drawn up by a mullah, stipulating the reward that a wife would receive on her husband’s death or a divorce.
kadii: a supreme ecclesiastical judge.
kafechi: a coffee-maker.
kafir: an infidel, a person of any other faith except Islam.
kava: coffee.
kebabchi: a trader in roast meat.
keshikhane: a little tent for the shah’s bodyguards.
kharaj: a land tax paid only by non-Muslims.
khazneh: the treasury.
khoja: a scholar, intellectual.
kulidja: a short, padded coat.
kuror: two million rubles in silver money.
kvas: a traditional Russian non-alcoholic drink made from rye bread.
limu: a yellowish-green, sweet lime.
lot: a thief whose left hand has been chopped off.
majlis-shirini: literally, “sweet-eating assembly”; the first day of wedding celebrations or a marriage feast.
malik-ut-tujjar: an elected elder in the merchant class, literally “king of traders.”
masghati: a soft and transparent confection made with rose water, starch and sugar.
mashal: a torch.
mekhmendar: an official responsible for looking after and accompanying foreign ambassadors and noble travelers.
mirza: a title denoting the rank of a royal prince, high nobleman, distinguished military commander, or scholar.
Muharram: the first month of the Muslim lunar calendar; on Ashur, the tenth day, the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, is marked.
muhessili: an official, a taxman.
naib: a deputy or representative of an authority.
naib-serheng: a lieutenant-colonel.
nazyr: a manager, steward.
padishah: literally “master king,” a superlative sovereign title of Persian origin.
pahlavan: a wrestler.
pashalyk: a primary administrative division of the Ottoman Empire, each governed by a pasha.
pishkhedmet: an officer who manages a shah’s household, a valet.
rechbars: serfs working for a khan or a bek; would give half or two-thirds of their harvest to their master.
Rejjeb: the eighth month of the lunar calendar used in Muslim countries.
sadrasam: a grand vizier, prime minister.
sarbaz: soldiers conscripted into the infantry.
sardar: the commander-in-chief of the Persian army.
sartip: a colonel.
satrap: governors of provinces.
sayyid: an honorific title denoting people accepted as descendants of the prophet Muhammad; “master.”
serheng: Colonel.
shalwar: a pair of light, loose trousers, usually with a tight fit around the ankles, worn by women from South Asia.
sharia: Islamic religious law.
sherbetdar: a maker of frozen fruit and dairy desserts.
sunduktar: a treasurer.
tahtrevan: a palanquin or moving throne, carried by people or animals.
tashahhus: ceremonial etiquette.
tebrizi: seedless grapes.
toman: at the time four silver rubles.
tufendar: armor carrier.
veliagd: heir to the throne.
vizier: high-ranking advisor or minister.
zulfa: long hair for men.